Berlusconi's Impact on the Italian Election

2/21/2013 7:25AM

Italy's controversial ex-prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is having a greater than expected impact on the elections this weekend. But, as WSJ's Alessandra Galloni explains, a hung parliament lead by Pier Luigi Bersani is the likely outcome.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

I ... the the ... when the lost souls what he ... did nearly two weeks this'll give them the story had nearly ... two percent of the vote ... does this mean ... that Italy's highly controversial former Prime Minister could win the general election this weekend while Alice on the go go these joining us from Rome to all cases of what has been a really have a change in political picture ... of the sound of ... says those last polls that have been reports of suggestions that Berlusconi's tops even climbed up ... the mall ... well I would say it is already has a star remarkable ... comeback as ... he decided to come back into politics that in early December his party um only ... at the time was pulling her down thirteen ... percent and now we've got to about twenty two percent that's just the party alone ... and with that at his I adore the elite eight as you stay close to twenty eight thirty percent that puts it about five or six percentage points behind the Democratic Party the center left party that ... I was up until the polls ... close ... at was was leading up to my post closing I the the the the pollsters that really not very good ... so does this mean that he could win ... well ... let's say that the that ... chance is in the euro ... but most people still don't expect him to actually ... come out at first I Jimenez and his alliance partners that ... really he has revolutionized this election campaign and he and his party were said to be considered a non actor I just to ... go and now they're an important one ... yep I mean he does own a television stations in time he's been spinning off the last time on them is I'll write downs on the thinking is good at it and that's the point is that bill but ... he is a master of Telenet has been in the way that you know that was corny it's his media blitz has ... by all accounts been incredibly successful he mentioned to connect with people think they are is somebody who's one of Italy's richest man and that he manages to make people feel like is one that that is the secret of his success in electoral campaigns it's always been ... this way and this time it's no different ... so isn't it on the inside to love most is is that you folks in the tax increases that the money launches put in place on hand and offered to repay the money to the electorate is as of right ... after ... a well this ... is going to get it into sending her letters and giving Letters battalions in his latest of ... a stunt like that he sent a letter to many Italians say ... we will reimburse this battery very controversial property tax that night you want he said technocrat government introduced last year ... so yes indeed and you know ... many experts say that that could well swing a lot of people Italy has one of the high tax rates ... and does ... he know people don't like paying taxes ... and fuel didn't get so this could be very successful students ... to to ... look ... into the ... guy who was leaving when the law schools were taken on Julie Chiba Sunday and his center left coalition ... on so he had thirty four point four percent to close at that stage ... by ... Eno into the air he still doesn't mean he is still the PDA still be it in the polls that matter would be TD and its alliance with U S Alpine either yes civil rights oriented party they are still needed ... and they think they are the problem is that the problem is that ... that ... that he didn't score ... and that the DNR I started to catch up at the age and are probably thinking it happens increased their lead in the way that many had expected ... I'm gnosis you mention that the deal of course is that region and the fact that his his his his ... his his estimate is was in the polls as well ... while it each one the ... one that is not a long team sell these to come from this visit and factors point position ... does he really have a chance to win the selection of Paul now ... all of the Lexus is going on on ... well one thing the election but it is really not on the cards and that's not what he set out to do I'm you know it's a very small fry it with us for and you know it again at the end of December so that it's not a question of winning the elections ... the issue for Mr. Markey is whether he can get into the boats so that he had to be some sort of the swing factor I'm considering that DPD which is still leading the polls will not likely be able to have a majority ... at ... the outright majority I I it's our ... but the problem for Mr Romney if it is and again this is what that last polls are saying before that was the blackout period ... that Mr and his party has actually I've not been growing in fact it's been retreating it is now estimated artificially to be around ten percent of the vote and Mr. Morgenthau said it would be an achievement for him ... if he got ten percent ... which is